The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference came back to Orlando in a big way.
Roughly 13,000 attendees registered for the trade show, held at the Orange County Convention Center from Nov. 29-Dec. 3. The convention, commonly known as I/ITSEC, features speaker panels, networking events and a job fair.
However, the centerpiece is the exhibit hall, where more than 400 businesses and organizations this year displayed their latest innovations in modeling, simulation and training. This exhibit hall was overrun with local firms. In fact, the Orlando Economic Partnership listed more than 100 exhibitors at I/ITSEC 2021 that are based in Central Florida or maintain operations here.
To see some of the technologies on display at this year's I/ITSEC, check out the gallery above.
The products displayed at I/ITSEC are used to simulate environments or tasks for training purposes, primarily for the U.S. military. Virtual reality is employed in many of the cutting-edge simulations, and the past few years have been a "race" by multiple companies to develop virtual reality headsets, said Bohemia Interactive Simulations Inc. Chief Commercial Officer Pete Morrison, who is based in Orlando.
One of the takeaways of this year's I/ITSEC is that headset technology is advancing to a critical stage of reliability, said Morrison, whose company develops simulation software. "It's getting to where they're usable."
Also on display were new training platforms developed to keep up with the latest equipment used by the Department of Defense. For example, Orlando-based Engineering and Computer Simulations Inc. exhibited its new instruction software for the CH-47 Block II helicopter. The Block II is the latest iteration of the helicopter made by Boeing, and the U.S. Army in October bought its first Block II aircraft.
Meanwhile, Engineering and Computer Simulations, commonly known as ECS, has been on a contract to develop courseware for pilots and maintenance workers as the Block II was in development. The company created a series of instruction modules that realistically recreate the exterior and interior of the aircraft. The software can be displayed on a large video board in front of a classroom, or on the individual mobile devices of service members, said Nate Ginos, vice president of operations at ECS's Huntsville, Alabama office.
Of course, advancements in the simulation sector are important in Orlando, which is home to a $6 billion simulation industry. Orlando often is considered the world capital for the industry, and the Florida High Tech Corridor estimated the field employs more than 30,000 people in Central Florida with an average salary of $78,341.
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